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W hat were the coolest road-trip vehicles at the recently ended 2013 North American International Auto Show? Step aside, regular SUVs and passenger cars. Here are my favorites:

1. The Ford Transit Connect Wagon: The passenger version of the popular small cargo van — due out later this year — might not be the sexiest vehicle on the road, but it’s so useful. The long version seats seven. The rear seats fold down to make such a flat, wide surface that you could either put a sleeping bag in the back at bedtime or tote luggage for 20 Boy Scouts. It promises to be reasonably priced, can tow up to 2,000 pounds and gets up to 30 mpg. I like its humble vibe.

2. Mercedes GL450 SUV: OK, so its base price is about $64,000, plus options. Forget that for a minute. This gorgeous SUV has optional, huge video screens embedded in the seats, so each rear passenger has his own. It’s perfect for boring rides of 1,000 miles or more: You’ll never notice the world outside your Mercedes cocoon.

3. The Greenbrier van: It looks like a vehicle for Scooby-Doo — and it could be. It dates from 1963. It’s easy to imagine the creaky Corvair-based van rattling down the highway, windows open, driver’s hair flying, radio blasting. The Chevrolet exhibit at the auto show featured a Greenbrier interior modified as a photo booth.

4. Hyundai Veloster C3 Rolltop concept car: The hip Hyundai displayed at the show featured white with turquoise wheel covers, with a white-and-turquoise bike emerging from the back of its odd-shaped hatchback. The concept car has a fold-down tailgate as well as a canvas roof that slides forward or backward to retract, depending on what you’re carrying. It has three doors — two on the left, one on the right.

5. Subaru Outback: Amid all the flash and dash at the show, the Subaru Outback seemed comparatively boring. But so what. Its brand is so strong that it screams “fit, outdoorsy traveler.”

6. Jeep Wrangler Moab Edition: True, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is a more practical road-trip vehicle for 99 percent of travelers, especially families (and I was pleased to hear that Jeep is bringing back a seven-passenger Grand Wagoneer in 2014). But nobody would forget you if you were to show up in Yellowstone in the glowy-orange Wrangler, with its chunky hardware and flashy good looks.

7. Toyota FJ Cruiser: Again, this won’t ever replace the more luxurious Land Cruiser for long family trips, especially given its small rear doors and tiny back seat. But it has interesting optional dials on the dashboard, including a floating-ball “inclinometer” that tells you how far over you’re tipped. Wow.